craw
Americannoun
-
the crop of a bird or insect.
-
the stomach of an animal.
idioms
noun
-
a less common word for crop
-
the stomach of an animal
-
informal to be difficult, or against one's conscience, for one to accept, utter, or believe
Etymology
Origin of craw
1350–1400; Middle English crawe, probably akin to crag 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is the craw that sticks in the throats of mindful Europeans who talk about “strategic autonomy.”
From Slate • Jan. 21, 2026
I’m not at all giving up on this Seattle team, but this L will stick in their craw for a minute.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 17, 2023
That conclusion is sure to stick in the craw of USC fans in particular, after weeks of calling for coordinator Alex Grinch’s job amid the Trojans’ recent defensive collapse.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 2, 2023
Such rhetoric would probably stick in the craw of the Afghan leaders of the defeated Western-backed government.
From Washington Post • Aug. 18, 2021
The shame of the lie still stuck in his craw, but Varys had insisted it was necessary.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.